1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to curing and, in particular, to curing composite materials. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a portable curing system for use in curing composite materials.
2. Background
In some situations, a substance may be hardened or toughened using the process of curing. Typically, the curing process may use heat, pressure, a vacuum, or some combination thereof to cause a chemical reaction in the substance that hardens or toughens the substance. As one illustrative example, heat and/or pressure may be used to cure a composite workpiece to form a composite part. The composite workpiece may comprise any number of composite materials. The composite part may be used in an object such as, for example, without limitation, a vehicle, a piece of equipment, a structural panel, a frame, an aircraft part, an automobile part, a machining tool, a fastener, or some other type of object.
Different types of systems may be used for curing. A curing system may include one or more different types of curing devices. A curing oven and an autoclave may be examples of curing devices that are oftentimes used to cure composite workpieces. A curing oven may generate heat that causes a chemical reaction in a substance placed within the oven once a selected temperature has been reached. An autoclave may use both heat and pressure to cause a chemical reaction in a substance placed within the autoclave.
When manufacturing an object such as, for example, without limitation, an aircraft, different parts for the aircraft may be formed by curing composite workpieces. The manufacturing of these parts may occur in different locations within a manufacturing facility. However, the size and/or weight of some currently available ovens and autoclaves may make moving these devices to the different locations within the manufacturing facility more difficult, time-consuming, and/or expensive than desired. In some cases, moving these devices may be more expensive than purchasing additional devices for use at the different locations.
Additionally, the cost of operating these autoclaves may be greater than desired. For example, without limitation, an autoclave may be used to cure composite workpieces of different sizes. However, the amount of energy needed to reach specified temperatures and specified pressure levels may be greater than desired for smaller composite workpieces. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.